


Once A Year, The Styx Flows Backward

by PepperF



Series: Diego whump [25]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Gen, Whumptober 2020, sort of appropriate for Halloween season
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:35:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27194509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperF/pseuds/PepperF
Summary: Eventually, it occurs to him that, if he's being driven, then there must be a driver. The passenger seat is reclined, and he hasn't got the energy to sit up, so he blinks at the shadowy figure for a while, trying to bring them into focus. "Klaus?" he says, eventually. He's pretty sure that's right.The man turns and smiles at him, and...there's something different. Something about the calm energy that radiates from him...something so familiar..."Ben?" he tries, quietly.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Diego Hargreeves
Series: Diego whump [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951318
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Once A Year, The Styx Flows Backward

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks, as always, to Bethany, who I am making work very hard on these! :D

Diego likes driving. It's time to himself with no interruptions—he can just zone out, or think about a problem, get a plan in place. He's not as keen on being driven, particularly with his head feeling like it does as he wakes up, but it's still kind of soothing. Streetlights zip past, the yellow light of them caught in the rain on the window, and he closes his eyes against the flash and glare of it. The interior of the car is quiet, and it feels like everything inside is perfectly still, while the world outside moves around them. He can hear the whoosh of the tires on the wet streets and the wipers working overtime, feel the thrum of the engine, the rocking of the vehicle, and the wash of heated air blowing over him. For a while he just...exists.

Eventually, it occurs to him that, if he's being driven, then there must be a driver. The passenger seat is reclined, and he hasn't got the energy to sit up, so he blinks at the shadowy figure for a while, trying to bring them into focus. "Klaus?" he says, eventually. He's pretty sure that's right.

The man turns and smiles at him, and...there's something different. Something about the calm energy that radiates from him...something so familiar...

"Ben?" he tries, quietly.

"Hey Diego," says Ben. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah...you too, man," he says, vaguely. That's always going to be true, whether or not he understands what's going on. 

Ben seems to pick up on his confusion. "You're okay. You're probably a little disoriented right now, but believe me, you're going to be fine."

"Okay." Trying to remember what happened is making his head ache, so he stops. "Why are you driving?"

"Well...let's just say I was the best option."

Probably something to do with Klaus, figures Diego, and lets it drop. He's sure he should have a million things to say to Ben, but he can't think of a single one, and he finds that he's content to just be with him, driving, destination unknown. His gaze drifts to the window, which has fogged up a little. "Wet out there," he observes.

Ben's shoulders shake with a silent chuckle. "You could say that." He glances at Diego. "You warming up?"

Now he mentions it, Diego notices how cold he feels, like he'd fallen asleep without a blanket. But warmth is returning to him, with the help of the blow heater, and he stretches and curls his hands, and then his feet, and cracks his knuckles. "Yeah."

"Good."

"You got any water? Tastes like something died..." He stretches his jaw.

"Uh, probably best not." Ben smiles at him reassuringly. "We'll be back soon, then you can have a drink."

Diego squints at his brother. He can almost make him out, he thinks, the familiar face grown into adulthood, firming up, acquiring a glow of confidence that he rarely wore as a child. And a black leather jacket that Ben definitely never had. "Are you being weird, or is it just my headache?"

"Eh," Ben shrugs. "Bit of both? Sorry. This probably doesn't make sense to you right now. Would you just trust me?"

Well, duh. "Of course, Ben."

Ben stretches out a hand and pats his knee. "Get some rest, Diego."

\---

The next time he wakes up, he's in a hospital bed. He doesn't remember falling back asleep, or anything about the transfer, so he must've been pretty out of it. The lights are on low, and there's the gentle beep and hum of machinery, and the distant sounds of activity. It's still night time, he can see from the tiny window to the outside, and still raining heavily. There's someone asleep in the chair next to him. 

"Ben?" he asks, muzzily. The figure stirs, and then sits up in a hurry.

"Diego? Diego, you're awake!"

"Oh, hey Luther. Where'd Ben go?"

"Ben? What're you talking about?" He shakes his head impatiently. "Never mind, I need to call the others. Try not to go back to sleep, okay?"

"Sure," says Diego, further confused. He reaches up a hand to his aching head, which feels much worse than it did in the car, but is stopped by a number of cables attached to his arm. Which probably means there were needles, so thank god he slept through that part.

"Allison? Diego's awake! Yeah, yeah. Okay, yes—please. Great, thanks. Hey, uh...he woke up asking for—" He glances at Diego, and turns away, hunching over the phone. "B-E-N," he hisses.

Diego starts to roll his eyes, but it sends a shooting pain right through his skull, so he stops.

"What do I...uh-huh...yeah...yeah, you're probably right. Okay. No, I haven’t done that yet. I know, I know. Okay. Yes, see you soon. Bye."

Luther hangs up the phone and shuffles forward in the chair again. "The others are on their way."

"Cool." Diego remembers what happened now, a little vaguely, but it was something about a mission, and then pain...lots of pain. "Did—"

"I have to go tell the doctors you're awake. I'll be back in a minute. Don't go anywhere."

"Yeah, yeah." He'd heave a sigh, but has a feeling that would hurt, too.

Luther disappears out the door, and Diego is alone for a minute. He peers into the darkness in the corners of the room, and for a moment he swears he can hear the soft shush of tires on wet streets. "Ben?" he whispers.

There's no answer.


End file.
